Aam Ka Panna/ Raw Mango Juice

Aam Ka Panna

I always prefer sweet and tangy taste so I used semi ripe mangoes for this recipe. But if you prefere tangy taste replace raw green mangoes instead of semi ripe mangoes.

Ingredients

Semi ripe mangoes medium sized- 2 nos

Salt required

Catch brand Chaat masala- 1 tsp

Raw Mango Juice

Method

Wash, chop mangoes and grind it in blender adding cold water.

Strain the mango juice, add chaat masala and required salt. Stir well the juice pour it in glass, if preferred garnish with pinch of black salt and serve.

Mealmaker Fry/ Soya Chunks Varuval

Mealmaker fry

Ingredients

Soya Chunks/ Mealmaker-20 nos

Ginger and Garlic paste-1 tsp

Red chilli powder-1 tsp

Cumin powder-1/2 tsp

Fennel seed/ Sombu powder-1 tsp

Black pepper powder-1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves few

Oil-2 tbsp

Soya Chunks fry

Method

Bring water to boil in a pan, add the soya chunks to the boiling water, cook for a

minute and drain from water, squeeze excess water from the soya chunks and set aside. In a bowl combine ginger and garlic paste, red chilli powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, black pepper powder and salt. Add 1 tsp water if required and mix well. Add the cooked soya chunks to this masala paste, mix well and marinate the soya chunks for 10 mins. Heat oil in kadai, when hot add curry leaves and marinated soya chunks, fry for couple of minutes in medium heat until the soya chunks are dry and roasted.

Simple version of mealmaker fry

Instead of all the spice powder use 2 tbsp everest meat masala or chicken masala powder and prepare the soya chunks following the same above method.

Mealmaker - Soya Chunks Varuval

Mushroom Cashew Pulao/ Kumbh Kaju Pulav

Mushroom Cashewnuts Pulao

Ingredients

Basmati rice cooked- 2 cups

Button mushrooms- 1 small box or 200 gms

Cashew nuts- 1/4 cup or 20 nos

Green chilly broken- 2 nos

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Butter- 3 tbsp

Coriander leaves to garnish

Dry roast and grind to powder

Black Cardamom- 1 no

Cloves- 4 nos

Cinnamon stick- 1"

Black pepper corns- 1 tsp

Kumbh Kaju Pulav

Method

Clean the button mushrooms, quarter, wash and pat dry. Heat butter in a large pan, when butter starts to melt add the cashew nuts and fry on low heat until cashew nuts are browned. Remove the fried cashew nuts on to a plate, in the same butter add cumin seeds, broken green chilly and ground gram masala powder, fry for few seconds on low heat. Increase heat and add button mushroom to the pan and toss for few seconds. Add the rice, fried cashew nuts and required salt to the mushrooms. Gently mix everything well and garnish the mushroom and cashew nuts pulao with coriander leaves. Serve hot with curry of your choice.

Mushroom Cashew Pilaf

Andhra Mango Thokku recipe

Andhra Mango Thokku

Ingredients

Raw Mango-4 nos

Red chilly powder/ Guntur chilly powder-3 tbsp

Turmeric powder-1 tsp 

Oil-1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Roast and Grind

Mustard seeds- 2 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds- 1 tbsp

For tempering

Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Hing-1/2 tsp

Andhra Mango PIckle

Method

Wash the raw mango, pat dry and grate it.

Roast mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds till brown and grind to fine powder.

Heat oil in a pan when hot add the mustard seeds and hing, when mustard seeds crackle add grated mangoes, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, roasted and ground powder and salt.

Stir fry the mangoes for few minutes on medium heat until the oil seprates on the sides of pan. Remove mango thokku from heat and allow to cool. Refregirate and store Andhra Mango thokku for a month. 

Mango Thokku

Kuska Biryani/ Plain Biryani( Restaurant/ Hotel style)

There are two methods of preparing Kuska rice, first method is home style by cooking rice in coconut milk and another method is restaurant style.

In this post let's see how to prepare Kuska Biryani in restaurant style.

In hotels and restaurants normally biryani are prepared as usual with meat( mostly chicken). When you order for Kuska biryani/ Plain biryani they serve the biryani rice without any meat in it. You can attain the same restaurant quality taste by cooking the rice with chicken stock or prepare it 100% vegetarian by adding few pinch of MSG( ajinomoto).

Kuska Biryani

Ingredients

India gate classic basmati rice- 4 cups

Onion large thinly sliced- 2 nos

Tomato large chopped- 2 nos

Green chilli broken- 4 nos

Ginger and Garlic paste- 2 tbsp

Thick curd/ yogurt- 2 tbsp

Mint leaves chopped- 1 bunch

Coriander leaves chopped- 1/4 bunch

Red chilli powder- 1 and 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Tiger brand biryani essence( optional)- 1/4 tsp

Water or Sawson Chicken broth- 4 cups

MSG/ Ajinomoto( optional)- few pinch.

Bay leaf- 2 nos

Cloves- 4 nos

Green cardamom- 4 nos

Cinnamon stick- 1" piece

Oil- 4 tbsp

*Note- if you are using chicken broth instead of water do not use MSG and also reduce the quantity of salt. If using water instead of broth you can use the MSG if required.

Plain Biryani

Method

Soak basmati rice in water for 10 minutes.

Hear oil in a pan, when oil is hot add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf, saute until the aroma of whole spice rise. Add the chopped onion and green chiili to the pan and fry until onion turns brown. Add ginger and garlic paste to frying onions and saute until raw smell of paste leaves. Now add the chopped tomatoes, mint leaves, coriander leaves, thick curd, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ajinomoto( optional) and required salt. Saute everything for few minutes. Add water to the pan and bring the mixture to boil.

Add the soaked and drained basmati rice to the boiling gravy and stir well.

Cover pan with lid and cook the rice until soft and tender.

Garnish the Kuska biryani with mint leaves and serve hot with Chicken chalna or vegetarian chalna of your choice.

Restaurant- Hotel style Kuska Biryani/ Plain Biryani

Bombay Chutney

Bombay Chutney

Ingredients

Kadalamavu/ Besan flour-4tbsp

Onion large chopped- 1 no

Tomato medium chopped- 1 no

Green chilly broken- 2 nos

Ginger minced- 1/2" piece

Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp

Chilly powder- 1tsp

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Urad dal- 1tsp

Chana dal- 1tsp

Curry leaves- few

Corriander leaves- few

Salt to taste

Oil- 2tbsp

Water- 1 1/2 cups

Bombay Chutney

Method

Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, when crackles add the urad dal, chana dal and curry leaves. When dals browned add the onions, ginger and green chilly, saute till onions turns pink. Now add the tomatoes and fry for few mins, add turmeric, chilly powder, required salt and water. Bring this mixture to boil. Take a small bowl make a smooth paste out of besan flour and water. Add this besan paste to the boiling mixture, mix well and simmer until the besan flour is cooked and the chutney thickness. Serve hot with Chapati, Idli and Dosa.

Poori Kizhangu/ Poori Potato Poori Masala Recipe

Poori Kizhangu

Ingredients

Potatoes big- 3 nos

Onion big chopped- 2 nos

Carrot small finely chopped- 1 no

Green peas- 1/2 cup

Green chillies( broken)- 5 nos

Ginger finely chopped- 1/2" piece

Besan flour/ Chickpea flour-1 1/2 tbsp

Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

Chilly powder- 1 tsp( optional)

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Urad Dal- 1 tsp

Bengalgram dal/ Channa dal-1tsp

Asafetida-pinch 

Oil- 3 tbsp

Poori Masala

Method

Pressure cook potatoes for 10 mins or until tender. Peel the potato skin, mash the potatoes coarsely and set aside. Heat oil in a pan, when hot add the mustard seeds, when crackles add the urad dal and channa dal, fry until browned. Now add the onions, green chillies, ginger, chopped carrot, peas and asafetida, saute for 5 mins. Add the mashed potatoes and 1 cup water to the frying onions. Add turmeric powder and required salt, bring the mixture to boil. In a small cup add the besan flour and 3tbsp of water, dilute to thin paste. Add this besan flour paste to the boiling potatoes and stir continuously. Simmer for 5 mins until the mixture thickens to the required consistency. Serve Potato masala hot with puri, chapati, dosa.

Potato Masala Sidedish for Puri

Chicken Cutlets Recipe Indian Style

Chicken Cutlets Recipe

Ingredients

Potatoes large- 2 nos

Minced Chicken- 250 gms

Onion small minced- 1 no

Green chilli minced- 4 nos

Fennel seeds lightly crushed- 1 tsp

Garam Masala powder- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Maida/ All purpose flour- 1/2 cup

Water- 1/4 cup

Bread crumbs- 2 cup

Salt and pepper to taste

Oil to deep fry.

Chicken Patties

Method

Pressure cook potatoes until tender, allow to cool and finely mash the potatoes.

Pressure cook minced chicken for 5 mins, allow to cool and crumble with fingers.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan, when hot add the fennel seeds, onion,  green chilli and garam masala powder, saute for a min and remove pan from heat. In a large bowl combine mashed potatoes,cooked minced chicken, sauteed onion and green chilli mixture and required salt. 

Mix well the chicken cutlet mixture and divide the mixture into equal sized balls.

In a small bowl combine maida and water, whisk well to form smooth and thin paste. Spread bread crumbs on plate. Flatten each ball into discs, first dip the cutlets in the maida batter and then coat with bread crumbs generously. For more crispier cutlets once again dip the bread crumb coated cutlets in maida batter and again generously coat with bread crumbs( this double coating of bread crumbs makes cutlet more crispier). Once cutlets are coated with bread crumbs, refrigerate cutlets for 1 hour. Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry, drop the chicken cutlets carefully into hot oil and fry till golden brown, serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney of your choice.

Indian Chicken Cutlets

Kovil Puliyodharai/ Tamarind Rice Temple Style.

Kovil Puliyodharai

Ingredients

Cooked rice( Ponni par boiled variety) - 2 cups

Tamarind extract- 1/4 cup or Tamarind paste- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves- few

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Split gram dal/ Channa dal- 1 tsp

Split black gram/ Urad dal- 1 tsp

Whole red chilly- 4 nos

Gingelly oil- 3 tbsp

Dry roast and grind below ingredients to fine powder

Whole red chilli- 4 to 5 nos

Coriander seeds- 3 tbsp

Iyengar Puliyodharai

Method

Grind red chilly and coriander seeds to fine powder. Allow the cooked rice to cool, add tamarind paste, turmeric powder and salt to rice. Mix with fingers until tamarind paste is well mixed with rice. Heat gingelly oil in a kadai when hot add mustard seeds, when mustard crackles add urad dal, Channa dal and curry leaves. When dals are browned add rice and ground powder. Reduce heat and mix the rice well until everything is mixed well. 

( Normally kovil puliotharai will be bland and should me fully made with gingelly oil. Its optional to increase the heat and tanginess. If required Puliyodharai can be garnished with fried cashew nuts and roasted peanuts).

Tamarind Rice

Indian style Chicken Pasta Recipe

Indian Style Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

Boneless chicken cut into tiny bits- 200 gms

Macaroni( pasta shells)- 2 cup

Onion medium chopped- 2 nos

Tomato medium chopped- 1 nos

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves- few

Oil- 3 tbsp

For curry Masala

Coriander seeds- 3 tbsp

Black Pepper corns- 1 tsp

Green chilli chopped- 3 nos

Garlic cloves- 6 nos

Oil- 1 tbsp

Indian Chicken Macaroni

Method

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan when hot fry coriander seeds, pepper corns, green chilli and garlic clove on medium heat until the aroma rises. Grind the above fried masala ingredients to a smooth and fine paste by adding water.( Note if the coriander seeds are not fried well you wont be able to grind it into smooth paste.) Next heat oil in a pan when hot add the chopped onions and fry till brown. Add the chicken and fry for few mins. Add the tomatoes and fry until tomatoes are mashed. Now add the ground masala paste, curry leaves, turmeric powder, required salt and 1/4 cup water. Stir well and cook covered on medium heat until chicken is tender and gravy is semi thick. Remove gravy from heat. In another pot bring enough water to boil the pasta, add 1 tsp salt to water. When water boils add the pasta and cook for 7 mins or until pasta is tender. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the chicken curry. Mix well until pasta is well coated with chicken curry and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Chicken Pasta

Vegetable Cutlet Recipe

Vegetable Cutlets

Ingredients

Potatoes boiled and finely mashed- 2 cups

Beans finely chopped and par boiled- 1/4 cup

Green peas par boiled- 1/4 cup

Carrot finely chopped and par boiled- 1/4 cup

Onion small minced- 1 no

Green chilli minced- 3 nos

Fennel seeds lightly crushed- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Maida/ All purpose flour- 1/2 cup

Water- 1/4 cup

Bread crumbs- 2 cup

Salt and pepper to taste

Oil to deep fry.

Veg Cutlets

Method

Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan, when hot add the fennel seeds, onion and green chilli, saute for a min and remove pan from heat. In a large bowl combine mashed potatoes, par boiled beans, carrots, green peas, sauted onion and green chilli mixture and required salt. Mix well the potato mixture and divide the mixture into equal sized balls. In a small bowl combine maida and water, whisk well to form smooth and thin paste. Spread bread crumbs on plate. Flatten each ball into discs, first dip the cutlets in the maida batter and then coat with bread crumbs generously. For more crispier cutlets once again dip the bread crumb coated cutlets in maida batter and again generously coat with bread crumbs( this double coating of bread crumbs makes cutlet more crispier). Once cutlets are coated with bread crumbs, refrigerate cutlets for 1 hour. Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry, drop the cutlets carefully into hot oil and fry till golden brown, serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney of your choice.

Vegetarian Cutlets

Parmesan Crusted Tofu Recipe

Parmesan Crusted Tofu Fingers

Ingredients

Tofu/ Bean Curd/ Soya Paneer( cut lengthwise like fingers)- 200 gms

Ginger and Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Kraft Parmesan cheese- 1 cup

Olive oil- 4 tbsp

Parmesan Tofu

Method

In a plate mix ginger and garlic paste, red chilli powder, 1 tbsp olive oil and salt. Marinate tofu fingers with this paste for 15 mins. Spread Parmesan cheese on  plate. Coat each tofu fingers generally with Parmesan cheese. Place the prepared tofu fingers on hot griddle or pan and smear 1 tbsp oil around tofu fingers. Fry until tofu fingers are browned on both sides and crisp. Serve hot as appetizer.

Parmesan Crusted Tofu